Michael Owen Retires

[Royal With Cheese]

A great player. Injury blighted career. Scary moustache.

[Alexander Litvinenko]

A sad demise. He should be retiring at the top, rather than sitting on the bench at Stoke.

[southbank1871]

It's sad to an extent, but he's still had a very good career. I always had respect for him for being one of the few Engish players who had the bottle for testing themselves in a foreign league, rather than staying very much in the comfort zone of the Premier League. I think I'm right in saying that he's held in pretty high regard by Real Madrid fans due to his goals to games ratio when he played there.

[Bandini]

I'd rather he spent time on the bench at Stoke than end up on MotD, or spamming the shit out of twitter.

[Anfield Kopite]

I thought he retired about 5 years ago.

[11.30 from paddington]

I thought he retired about 5 years ago.

Surely you remember him picking up a Premier League medal with your biggest rivals?

Serious question - Why is there such antipathy towards Owen from Liverpool fans (even before he joined Man Utd)?

McManaman didn't seem to cop as much abuse after he decided to beat a similar path.

[Royalist]

Yes his career tailed off but one of the best England Strikers of the last 20 years! His 'style' of play had a shelf life of how long he had pace but when he had it he was brilliant.

[Sanguine]

I thought he retired about 5 years ago.

Surely you remember him picking up a Premier League medal with your biggest rivals?

Serious question - Why is there such antipathy towards Owen from Liverpool fans (even before he joined Man Utd)?

McManaman didn't seem to cop as much abuse after he decided to beat a similar path.

Have never understood this either.

Perhaps it's because had the temerity to be even better than Fowler, but for some reason they never took to him like they did Fowler.

[Fox Talbot]

Owen Fowler McManaman vs Giggs Beckham Scholes.

Same era, same kind of talent, very different outcomes. Injuries and club culture.

[creative_username_1]

I thought he retired about 5 years ago.

Surely you remember him picking up a Premier League medal with your biggest rivals?

.

I didn't know he'd signed for Everton etc etc

[Anfield Kopite]

I thought he retired about 5 years ago.

Surely you remember him picking up a Premier League medal with your biggest rivals?

Serious question - Why is there such antipathy towards Owen from Liverpool fans (even before he joined Man Utd)?

McManaman didn't seem to cop as much abuse after he decided to beat a similar path.

Firstly, i cant remember him playing for Everton or them winning a premier league medal.
The way he left us was very sly. He was allowing his contract to run down while he kept assuring the fans he was going to sign a long contract extension. In fact he said that just a few days before he left. Benitez had just become manager and went to the England camp to speak to the likes of him and Gerrard. He pretty much said Michael is leading the fans along because he says he wants to stay but has been negotiating with Madrid for weeks. I wasnt that arsed when he left because i already beleived we had seen the best of him. Similar to us having the best of Fowler and Torres before they left.

[Anfield Kopite]

I thought he retired about 5 years ago.

Surely you remember him picking up a Premier League medal with your biggest rivals?

.

I didn't know he'd signed for Everton etc etc

Well guessed CU.

[soggy biscuit]

I thought he retired about 5 years ago.

Surely you remember him picking up a Premier League medal with your biggest rivals?

Serious question - Why is there such antipathy towards Owen from Liverpool fans (even before he joined Man Utd)?

McManaman didn't seem to cop as much abuse after he decided to beat a similar path.

http://www.wsc.co.uk/wsc-daily/1023-January-2012/8243-why-liverpool-fans-dont-like-michael-owen

Put country over club, wasn't keen on Fowler then played for Man Utd

[Anfield Kopite]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
all true Soggs.

[soggy biscuit]

Comment at the bottom of the article I pasted probably sums it up best

Fundamentally, it comes down to love, right? Unrequited love. We loved you, Michael. We were willing to set you above all others. And you, it turned out, didn't love us as much, and so... we hate you. It's an entirely reasonable response. Assuming you're 4.

[Anfield Kopite]

Comment at the bottom of the article I pasted probably sums it up best

Fundamentally, it comes down to love, right? Unrequited love. We loved you, Michael. We were willing to set you above all others. And you, it turned out, didn't love us as much, and so... we hate you. It's an entirely reasonable response. Assuming you're 4.

I dont hate him. Never have. Nor any other former Liverpool players. I agree, you have to be 4 or a tit to harbor such emotions.

[Ian Royal]

I've got a friend who supports Liverpool and refers to him as "The glass-boned little traitor." I've always found that mildly amusing personally.

[Anfield Kopite]

I've got a friend who supports Liverpool and refers to him as "The glass-boned little traitor." I've always found that mildly amusing personally.

I think all teams have fans who call someone or other a traitor or similar. Personally i dont have any feelings towards the likes of Owen or Torres. I look back and think they were very good in their prime, world class even and i loved watching them at their best playing for Liverpool. Once they leave then thats that. Hatred is such a damaging emotion that is utterly pointless.

[Sanguine]

Read a slightly damning article on Owen that, whilst praising is impact as a youngster, his contribution for England, and a consistent goal ratio, even at Madrid and United, also said that in his latter career, being a great finisher and doing not a lot else, he was a ‘prototype Adam Le Fondre’. Which is harsh on ALF, if maybe true.

[11.30 from paddington]

Read a slightly damning article on Owen that, whilst praising is impact as a youngster, his contribution for England, and a consistent goal ratio, even at Madrid and United, also said that in his latter career, being a great finisher and doing not a lot else, he was a ‘prototype Adam Le Fondre’. Which is harsh on ALF, if maybe true.

If the latter part of Owen's career had been injury-free, it'd have been interesting to see if he was able to adapt his game and contribute more to the team (especially as his pace faded).

At his best, he was an extremely exciting player to watch. I remember the 2002 World Cup group game against Argentina. Having already been once-bitten in 1998, the Argentine defence seemed to crap themselves everytime Owen got the ball. Lovely dive for the penalty as well...

AK - I still don't understand the difference in treatment in regards to Owen and McManaman. McManaman just ran down his contract and went through the motions in his final year, but still doesn't seem to attract the same amount of stick as Owen (even before his signing for Man Utd).